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Friday, May 20, 2011

mung tofu spring rolls : mung ka cheela with a twist ....

Mung ka cheela is a traditional recipe and i transformed it to a nice fusion thing by a hot and happening stuffing . This spring roll is all protein and those who like savory breakfasts can rejoice as this can be a very quick recipe for a hot kick start to a happening day. Carbohydrate free , gluten free and very low on fats.

Preparing the batter and the traditional recipe can be seen here. I shall talk about the stuffing here. Crumbled or finely chopped tofu ( lightly pressed *) soaks up the flavors well and what flavors this stuffing has .... read on.....

Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped chillies and garlic first . Add all the vegetables in the pan .

Saute the vegetables with salt and pepper till the vegetables are soft and wilted , but half cooked. Add the tofu crumbled or finely chopped , add the tomato ketchup and mix well . The stuffing is ready.

Now make this crepes from the batter on a hot griddle and spread the stuffing over it.

Wrap the crepe like spring rolls and press firmly so that the roll stays in shape . It is a loose roll but it doesn't open up easily.

Cut in desired pieces and serve as appetizers or as breakfast , as we had it.

The cut pieces can be held up together with a toothpick or a cocktail stick if it is being served like an appetizer . Otherwise too the rolls keep up their shape and using your fingers to pick them up is not difficult , as we did .

The celery and garlic flavors get infused into the tofu very well . I have been a reluctant celery user as i didn't quite like the taste when i first started having it . The Celery in my garden is being quite generous and i will be a fool not to device new ways to use this wonderful herb . This blend of flavors worked very well for the mild mung daal crepe . You have to taste it to believe it. just take care of using controlled amount of salt as celery needs very little salt.

Take a closer look at the stuffing...

Healthy breakfasts are easy ... and savory breakfasts are happening .

Note : some readers have indicated that this mung ka cheela could be similar to Andhra pesarettu . I have posted pesarttu earlier. The only similarity between this cheela (crepe) and pesarettu is the ingredient mung daal , but the similarity ends there . This is an interesting example of how an ingredient behaves differently in it's different forms . In pesarettu , the mung daal used is with skin and the texture and taste of the dosa is very different . Here the husked mung results into a mild flavor and an almost glutinous texture . I have indicated that the roll sticks by itself and stays in shape , that is because if the slightly sticky nature of the mung crepe here. The flavor of the yellow mung is so delicate that another version of mung ka cheela , which includes some seasoning in the batter, tastes very different from this one.

11 comments:

Lovely cheela and yummy filling,looks similar to spring roll dosa served up in several joints in Bangalore! exactly what I would like to kick start my day with. I noticed your cheela is all uniform in colour. Any tips on getting them right?As in consistency of batter, type of griddle used, cook covered/ uncovered? And I guess it is similar to pesarattu?

@ Rajani...This crepe is not similar to pesarettu in any way . I have added a note tot he text to explain that . Regarding the uniform color of the crepe , a non stick griddle , less ghee or oil smeared well to coat and low heat after spreading the crepe is important . Check out my mung ka cheela recipe on the other blog to see that a browned crepe is great too.

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Healthy cooking comes naturally if you love your ingredients . We all love good food but we can cook healthy good food only if we know about the ingredients , and how they work for our body and soul. Here i write about all the natural whole food , cooked in the most simple ways , the ways Ayurveda and Naturopathy approves and reinforces . If you believe in natural whole food which heals your body and soul , you would love this space . My cooking incorporates the principles of Ayurveda and Macrobiotic diet and my ingredients are all local and affordable . Healthy choices are not always beyond our means . The most unappetizing sounding ingredients can be cooked to take you to blissful lands . Come with me.